On Our Radar: A Middle Manager’s Oath

Americans’ wages have been basically flat for a long time. One worker we don’t often think about, in terms of wage stagnation? The President of the United States. Workspantakes a look at POTUS compensation and finds, among other things, that the $200,000 Richard Nixon earned in 1969 would be worth about $1.3 million today when adjusted for inflation, yet the presidential salary currently stands at $400,000. Then again, Barack Obama does have Camp David and Air Force One at his disposal. — Lauren Weber

Are tech companies hiring women to be the ‘office mom’? Writing on Quartz, one Vancouver-based entrepreneur explains how the trend devalues women’s contributions to their companies. –Nikki Waller

A London Business Schoolprofessor describes an experiment in which a manager decided to devote more time to, well, actually managing her staff. After a three week period, sales were up 5% and worker performance had vastly improved. –Rachel Emma Silverman

Handy tips from Corporette on how often you can repeat outfits at work. –Nikki Waller

And finally…

From McSweeney’s, a hilarious and biting “oath” for middle managers. One element of the credo: “Every member of my team is unique and indispensable, so I will make it virtually impossible for them to be transferred or promoted.” — Lauren Weber

About At Work

Written and edited by The Wall Street Journal’s Management & Careers group, At Work covers life on the job, from getting ahead to managing staff to finding passion and purpose in the office. Tips, questions? email us.